The reasons behind the lifting of David Warner’s ball tampering leadership ban

David Warner’s pledge to speak openly to young players about his role in the infamous ball tampering scandal was a key factor in Cricket Australia sensationally lifting a lifetime leadership ban on the polarising opener.

Two years after Warner pulled the pin on a bid to overturn the sanction, a three-person review panel unanimously ruled in his favour on Thursday last week after he delivered “sincere” and “genuine” testimony to demonstrate his “extreme remorse” for his part in the 2018 Cape Town sandpaper plot.

The finding, announced on Friday by CA, comes too late for the batting star to lead the national men’s team, despite his cheeky offer to come out of Test retirement this week, but frees him to captain Sydney Thunder in this season’s Big Bash League. Cameron Bancroft was banned from playing for nine months for his role at Cape Town, while Warner and Steve Smith were banned 12 months, and Smith also given a leadership ban of at least two years.

Warner’s candid responses at a three-hour hearing before the review panel of Alan Sullivan KC, Jeff Gleeson KC and Jane Seawright was at odds to previous comments by his manager James Erskine in a 2022 radio interview suggesting there was an untold story of what happened in Newlands dressing room that would implicate more teammates.

“You’d have to be a blind, black Labrador [to not see] there were far more than three people involved in this thing. They all got a caning and David Warner was completely villainised,” Erskine said in that interview.

Australia captain Pat Cummins, Greg Chappell and Kane Williamson were among the Test greats who provided written character references of how Warner had reformed as a teammate and person on his road to redemption.

David Warner will be able to captain Sydney Thunder this summer.Credit: Getty Images

The once abrasive cricketer convinced the panel he was ready to lead again after six and a half years years in the leadership wilderness, partly thanks to the “respectful and contrite tone” in which he answered their questions.

The panel was confident Warner was now “well-equipped to communicate to other players the ways in which a player can lose sight of the importance of exemplary conduct and can quickly find themselves engaging in conduct that they would have previously thought unimaginable”.

David Warner walking out to bat for the last time in Test cricket at the SCG earlier this year.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

“Mr Warner made clear that, if granted a leadership position, he will have no hesitation in discussing the offence and the sanctions with other players and that he will do so in a way that does not shy away from his personal responsibility or the appropriateness of the sanctions imposed on him,” the judgment read.

“We consider these matters to be important to the question of whether the Long-Term Sanction should be modified so as to enable younger players to receive the benefit of this aspect of leadership.”

Once known as the “attack dog” of the team for his sledging of the opposition, Warner told the hearing of his commitment to change and setting the right example to younger players. This attitude was also central to the Thunder’s support of Warner, who is the major drawcard for the western Sydney club.

“But after the events in 2018 I just started thinking about myself and how I just wanted to be, you know, perceived better on the field, not just, you know, I want to be playing hard, but I want to be that person that they want to have a beer with after the game,” Warner told the panel.

The panel took note of Warner’s acknowledgment that he had “let every single person down” and “100 per cent regretted the actions that were taken and am extremely remorseful”.

“Everyone’s, you know, seen Australian cricketers be number one and you know that for the cheating scandal it’s a big mark. It’s a very big mark on the game and for our country,” Warner said of the significance of his conduct and its consequences.

Warner’s responses at last week’s hearing represented a marked shift from comments he made during the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean in June.

“Coming back since 2018 I’ve probably ... been the only one that’s ever copped a lot of flak,” Warner said.

“Whether it’s people who don’t like the Australian cricket team or don’t like me, I’ve always been that person who has copped it ... I think it’s going to be inevitable that when people talk about me in 20 or 30 years’ time, there will always be that sandpaper scandal.”

The developments on Friday came as Cummins offered a polite public rejection of Warner’s cheeky offer this week to come out of retirement for the upcoming Tests against India.

“I did speak to Dave a couple of days ago. He was like, ‘what do you think?’” Cummins said on The Grade Cricketer podcast.

“I’m like, ’yeah good luck for the Thunder this year. And I look forward to your comments on Fox.”

Warner made the comments on Tuesday when he was aware of CA’s decision to lift his leadership ban.

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